Carpet cutter and trimmer

ABSTRACT

THE CUTTER COMPRISES AN ALUMINUM CASTING HAVING AN ELONGATE, PLANE SUPPORT SURFACE ON ITS UNDERSIDE, AN ELONGATE GUIDE PROJECTING DOWNWARDLY FROM SAID SURFACE INTERMEDIATE ITS SIDES, AN ADJUSTABLE CUTTING BLADE IN THE CASTING HAVING A SHARP CUTTING EDGE PROJECTING BELOW AND ADJACENT TO THE GUIDE, AND AN INTEGRAL HAND GRIP FOR MANIPULATING THE CUTTER TO MOVE THE GUIDE LONGITUDINALLY BETWEEN TWO ADJACENT ROWS OF PILE IN A CARPET, WHILE FORCING THE CUTTING EDGE DOWNWARDLY TO SEVER THE CARPET BACKING. THE SUPPORT SURFACE IS SUBSTANTIALLY WIDER THAN THE GUIDE AND CUTTING BLADE SO THAT OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE SUPPORT SURFACE OVERLIE THE ADJACENT ROWS OF PILE TO STABILIZE THE CUTTER DURING CUTTING. THE GUIDE MAY BE MOUNTED FOR VERTICAL ADJUSTMENT IN THE CASTING. IN ONE EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION, A SECOND SUPPORT SURFACE, GUIDE, AND CUTTING BLADE MAY BE MOUNTED IN THE UNDERSIDE OF THE CUTTER PARALLEL TO THE FIRST-NAMED GUIDE, AND BLADE SO THAT TWO CUTS ALONG PARLALLEL LINES MAY BE MADE SIMULTANEOUSLY.

Nov. 23, 1971' J' SUMMER 3,621,573

CARPET CUTTER AND TRIMMER Filed Jan. 23, 1969 3 Sheotsihou, l

56 42 I9 l/ ll j 32K 45-` 34 32 34 I 55 TM5 5o 38 49 44 www 33 33` f 45 55 3| 3" "PI ;;3.Q w 5 2 30 f' Il "n ww 28l |5 3"/ 2`5 53 '2 22 (24 "|4 2'8 lo le '2 55 3a Y i 22 53 28 3| m g l l 5 l )u 30 3| Q -1R40 5 24 3o NVENTOR JOHN A. SUMMERS C j t 3 l CWM# ATTORNEYS Nov., 23, 1971 l A- SUMMERS 3,621,513

CARPET CUTTER AND TRIMMER Filed Jan. 25, 1969 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR JOHN A. SUMMERS Nov. 23, 1971 J. A. suMMl-:Rs

CARPET CUTTER AND TRIMMER I5 Sheets-Sheet, IS

Filed Jan. 23, 1969 FIG. 5

NVENT( )R JOHN A. SUMMERS -%T;TTORNIJY$ United States Paten 3,621,573 CARPET CUTTER AND 'llRill/IMER John A. Summers, East Rochester, NSY., assignor to Carder Industries Inc., Rochester, N.Y. `lFiled Jau. 23, 1969, Ser. No. 793,467 Int. Cl. 1326i) 3/04 U.S. Cl. 30--287 8 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE The cutter comprises an aluminum casting having an elongate, plane support surface on its underside, an elongate guide projecting downwardly from said surface intermediate its sides, an adjustable cutting blade in the casting having a sharp cutting edge projecting below and adjacent to the guide, and an integral hand grip for manipulating the cutter to move the guide longitudinally between two adjacent rows of pile in a carpet, while forcing the cutting edge downwardly to sever the carpet backing. The support surface is substantially wider than the guide and cutting blade so that opposite sides of the support surface overlie the adjacent rows of pile to stabilize the cutter during cutting. The guide may be mounted for vertical adjustment in the casting. In one embodiment of the invention, a second support surface, guide, and cutting blade may be mounted in the underside of the cutter parallel to the first-named guide, and blade so that two cuts along parallel lines may be made simultaneously.

This invention relates to carpet cutters, and more particularly to a novel cutter for severing the backing of pile carpets.

The installation of carpeting on the floors of homes, oice buildings, theatres, and the like, usually requires a considerable amount of trimming or cutting. In the case of wall-to-wall carpeting, for example, the outer edges of the carpeting must be carefully trimmed to conform to the shape of the floor that is being covered; and confront* ing edges of adjacent widths of the carpeting must be carefully matched to avoid unsightly seams. Furthermore, in the case of pile carpets, wherein successive rows of pile extend parallel to one another, it is usually desirable to cut or trim the carpet along a straight line between adjacent rows of pile.

Heretofore it has been customary to trim pile carpeting with a hand tool or cutter containing a razor blade, which projects from the bottom of the tool just far enough to penetrate through the carpet backing, when the tool is drawn longitudinally along the space between adjacent rows of pile. Some such tools have also included a projecting rib or guide to help guide the cutter longitudinally between adjacent rows of pile, A major disadvantage of such prior cutters, however, is that, when pressure is applied to the cutter as it is drawn on a cutting stroke, it is almost impossible to prevent the cutter from weaving or wobbling; and consequently an irergular cut results. Another disadvantage is that heretofore there has been no satisfactory way to adjust the blade and/or the guide of the cutter in accordance with the height of the pile of the carpet that is to be cut.

Another problem, which is encountered when two sections of carpet must be installed adjacent one another, concerns the difficulty in cutting two perfectly straight, parallel edges on the two different sections, so that the severed edges can be joined to provide an invisible seam. With present carpet cutters, it is necessary to make a separate cut ineach section of carpet; and unless extreme care is taken with each cut, the severed edges Will not match satisfactorily.

3,621,573 Patented Nov. 23, 1971 One object of this invention, therefore, is to provide an improved pile carpet cutter which will have substantially increased stability during cutting, as compared to prior carpet cutters. To this end, it is an object of. this invention to provide a carpet cutter having thereon means for eliminating any undesirable weaving or wobbling of the cutter on a cutting stroke.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved carpet cutter which can be adjusted to cut any type of pile carpet, irrespective of the height of the pile.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel carpet cutter which is particularly adapted for simultaneously cutting two different sections of carpet along parallel lines, so that the severed edges on the carpet sections can be abutted exactly to form an almost invisible seam.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an improved carpet cutter which is substantially sturdier and more versatile than prior carpet cutters.

Other objects of. the invention will be apparent hereinafter from the specification and from the recital of the appended claims, particularly when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings..

In the drawings:

FIG. l is a side elevational view of a carpet cutter made in accordance with one embodiment of this invention, parts of the cutter being broken away and shown in section;

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of this cutter;

FIG. 3 is a sectional View taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of a modified carpet cutter made in accordance with a further embodiment of this invention;

F IG. 5 is a bottom plan view of this modified cutter; and

FIG. 6 is an end view of. this modified cutter looking in the direction of the arrow 6-6 in FIG. 4.

Referring now to the drawings by numerals of reference, and rst to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. l to 3, 10 denotes generally a single-blade carpet cutter comprising an aluminum casting or body 12 having an elongate, plane, rectangular bottom or under surface 14, and spaced, parallel sides 15 and 16. Intermediate its ends body 12 has an upwardly projecting hump-shaped portion 18, which is slotted as at 19 to provide an integral hand grip 20, which is inclined at approximately thirty degrees to the plane surface 14.

Mounted for vertical adjustment in a narrow, longitudinally extending slot 22, which is formed in the bottom 14 of the body 12 medially of its sides 15 and 16, and extends parallel thereto, is an elongate metal strip or guide `211, which is substantially rectangular in cross section (FIG. 3). Intermediate its ends one side of slot 22 is recessed as at 2S (FIGS. 1 and 2) to accommodate an offset portion 26 of the guide 24. Opposite ends of guide 24 are secured by dowels 28 in the slotted, lower ends of a pair of pins 30, which are reciprocable in a pair of spaced, vertical bores 31 formed in body 12 adjacent opposite ends of slot 22. At its upper end each pin 30 has a reduced-diameter, externally threaded shank portion 32, which extends slidably through a reduced-diameter bore 33 in body 12, and which threads into an externally knurled nut 34 positioned on the upper side of body 12. Each bore 31 houses a compression spring 36, which seats at one end in the bottom of this bore, and at its opposite end against the head of the associated pin 30` to urge the latter resiliently downwardly in its bore 31 to the extent permitted by the associated nut 34. The pins 30 and springs 36 thus support guide 24 resiliently and adjustably in the slot 22.

Beneath and parallel to slot 19 the body 12 has in its side 16 an inclined slot 38, which opens at its lower end on the surface 14, and is bounded at its upper end by the under face of handle 18. As shown more clearly in FIG. 3, groove 38 is rectangular in cross section, and has a depth equal approximately to one half the thickness of the body 12, and the lower end of groove 38 communicates with the slot 22 and the offset portion 26 of the guide 24. Intermediate its ends body 12 is also formed with an elongate, generally rectangular recess 40, which is formed parallel to slot 38.

Mounted in recess 40 is a rectangular block 42. This block is adjustable rectilinearly in recess 4t) by a screw 44, the lower end of which is threaded into a bore 45 (FIG. l) in block 42, and the upper end of which is rotatably journaled in a registering hole 46 formed in body 12 to communicate with recess 40. The upper end of screw 44 projects beyond the forward face of the body projection 18, and has an externally knurled knob 48 secured thereon by a dowel pin 47. A shoulder 49 formed on the screw 44 intermediate its ends, cooperates with the knob 48 t0 prevent axial movement of the screw 44, when the knob is rotated to shift the block 42 longitudinally in the recess 40.

Secured at its upper end by a pair of dowel pins 50 in a shallow notch or recess, which is formed on the outside of block 42 adjacent its lower end, is an elongate, thin cutter blade 52. The lower end of blade 52 projects into the slot 22 in juxtaposition with the offset portion 26 of the guide 24, and in coplanar relation with opposite ends of the guide. At its lower end blade 52 is provided in the usual manner with a sharp cutting edge 53, which is inclined slightly to the horizontal, and which is adapted to project slightly below the lower edge of the guide 24 (FIG. l), when the blade is properly adjusted for cutting. Moreover, as shown more clearly in FIG. 3, the outer surface of the blade (the left side thereof as illustrated in FIG. 3) is disposed in coplanar relation with the inside surface of the groove 38.

Secured by a plurality of screws 55 in the groove 38 to cover the recess 40 and the upper end of blade 52, is a metal cover plate 56, only a portion of which is illustrated in FIG. l. The inside surface of the plate 56 is disposed in coplanar, abutting relation to the blade 52 so as to permit sliding adjustment of the blade upon the rotation of the knob 48; but also to prevent any undesirable lateral flexing or wobbling of the blade during a cutting operation.

Before using the cutter, the nuts 34 must be adjusted to position the lower edge of the guide 24 a desired distance below the tool bottom 14, depending upon the height of the pile on the carpet that is to be cut; and the knob 48 must be rotated to adjuste the blade 52 until its cutting edge projects just below the bottom of guide 24. Thereafter the cutter is placed on the carpet so that its guide 24 extends into the space between the pair of adjacent rows of pile between which the cut is to be made. At this time opposite halves of the plane undersurface 14 on opposite sides, respectively, of the slot 22 overly and rest upon at least the upper surfaces of the two adjacent rows of pile that are separated by the guide 24. Consequently, when the operator pushes the cutter 10 downwardly and forwardly (for example to the left in FIG. l) on a cutting stroke, the resilient guide 24 guides the cutting edge 53 longitudinally between the two rows of pile as the cutting blade penetrates and severs the backing of the carpet. Also during the cutting stroke, the two, spaced, coplanar supporting halves of the surfaces 14 that are disposed on opposite sides, respectively, the slot 22, are slidably e11- gaged with the tops of at least the adjacent rows of pile between which the cut is being made, so that these rows of pile tend to maintain the surface 14 horizontal, and to resist any accidental wobbling or wavering of the cutter 10 back and forth in a vertical plane.

In practice, the surface 14 is wide enough so that it overlaps several adjacent rows of pile so as materially to increase the lateral stability of the cutter 10 during movement thereof on a cutting stroke. Also, the lower edge or bottom of the cover plate 56 is coplanar with the underside 14 of the cutter, so that the bottom of groove 38 does not interfere with the sliding movement of the cutter along the pile during the cutting stroke.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 to 6, 60 denotes generally a double-blade carpet cutter comprising an aluminum casting or body 62, which is substantially wider, than the casting 12 used for the cutter 10. Casting 62 has parallel sides 63 and 64, a pair of spaced, parallel, longitudinally extending legs or runners `65 and 66, which project downwardly from the bottom of the casting, and a rounded upper end 61, which is slotted as at 67 to form on the casting an integral, inclined hand grip 68. The legs 65 and 66, which have coplanar undersurfaces 65f and 66', respectively, are separated by a relatively wide, inclined slot 69, which is formed in the bottom of body 62 medially of its sides. 1

Secured at opposite ends thereof by pins 70 in narrow, longitudinally extending slots 72 and 73 (FIGS. 5 and 6.)', that are formed in surfaces 65 and 66', respectively, are two, spaced, parallel metal straps or guides 74 and 75, respectively. As in the rst embodiment, each guide 74 and 75 has intermediate its ends an offset portion 7-6 and 77, respectively, which registers with a corresponding recess formed in one of the sides of the associated slots 72 and 73, respectively.

Beneath the grip 68 body 62 has in opposite sides thereof a pair of inclined grooves and 81, which extend parallel to the slot 67. Grooves 80 and 81 cornmunicate at their lower ends with the offset portions 76, 77 of the guides 74 and 75, respectively; and have secured thereover by s'crews 82 identical cover plates 83.

Mounted in the casting 62 beneath the cover plates 83 for adjustment by a pair of knobs 84 (FIG. 6) longitudinally of the grooves 80 and 181 are two cutter blades and 86, respectively. The mechanism for adjusting each blade 85 and 86 in response to the rotation of its associated knob `84 is similar to that disclosed in connection with the rst embodiment, and consequently, further detailed description thereof is believed to be unnecessary. The lower ends of these blades 85 and 86 extend through the slots 72 and 73 in the legs 65 and 66 adjacent the offset portions 76 and 77 of the guides 74 and 75, respectively. As in the first embodiment, each blade 85 and 86 is therefore held in coplanar relation to opposite ends, respectively, of its associated guide 74 or 75.

The cutter 60 is particularly useful for simultaneously cutting two separate sections of carpet to form on the separate sections identical edges, which can thereafter be placed together to form an almost invisible seam. This can be done by placing the uneven or jagged edges of two sections of carpet adjacent to one another, so that the guide 74, for example, will register withthe space between two adjacent rows of pile in one carpet section, and so that the guide 75 will register with the space between a pair of adjacent rows of pile in the other section. Then, and assuming that the cutting edges of the blades 85 and 86 have been adjusted by the knobs 84 to project below the coplanar undersurfaces 65' land 66 of the runners or legs 65 and 66, the opeartor urges the cutter 60 (for example toward the left in FIG. '4) in a cutting stroke, which will cause the lower ends of the blades 85 and 86 simultaneously to sever the carpet backing on each of the two adjacent sections of carpet. Since the parallel guides 74 and 75 project downwardly fbetween adjacent rows of pile in each of the two :sections of carpet, and since the distance between the guides is fixed, the guides will tend to prevent the two sections of carpet from separating during the cutting stroke. Consequently, each section of carpet will have a straight, severed edge, which will mate perfectly with a corre'- sponding edge on the other carpet section, whereby when the mating edges are placed together, an almost invisible seam will result.

t From the foregoing it will be apparent that applicants novel cutter will substantially eliminate undesirable wiggling of the cutter in a vertical plane during a cutting stroke, and consequently will permit far more accurate cutting or trimming of pile carpet. This accuracy is further enhanced by employing an adjustable guide 24 and cutter blade 52 (or `85 and 86), so that the cutter l or 60 can be employed equally as well for cutting low or high pile carpets. By eliminating or minimizing ragged, inaccurate cuts through a pile carpet backing, the novel cutter disclosed herein considerably reduces the time and expense heretofore involved in the laying of pile carpet. Also, by providing the spaced, coplanar support surfaces on the cutter bottom le at opposite sides of the blade 52, and also by using the spaced runners or legs 65 and 66 on the cutter 60, unnecessary strain and wear on the cutter blades is minimized.

Although in the embodiment in FIGS. 4 to 6 the guides 74 and 75 are fixed in slots 72 and 73, it will be apparent that they could be mounted for vertical adjustment by pins of the type illustrated at 30 in FIG. l, if desired. Moreover, although the cutter 60 of FIGS. 4 to 6 has been provided with only two, spaced, parallel guides 74 and 75, it will be apparent that three or more such guides could be employed on a single cutter if desired. Also, while the cutters 10 and 60 are particularly useful for trimming pile carpet, it will be apparent that such cut ters would be equally useful in cutting or trimming flocked wall and oor coverings, and even materials of a non-pile Variety, wherein it is nevertheless desirable to prevent the cutting blade from tilting or wobbling in a vertical plane during the cutting stroke.

While the invention has been described in connection with at least two specic embodiments thereof, it will be understood that it is capable of further modification, and this application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention following, in general, the principles of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as` come within known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains and as may be applied to the essential features hereinbefore set forth, and as fall within the scope of the invention or the limits of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A pile carpet cutter comprising a body having on its underside a pair of spaced, elongate, coplanar support surfaces,

a narrow guide projecting below the common plane containing said support surfaces, and extending longitudinally between said surfaces to pass between a pair of adjacent rows of pile in a carpet during a cutting operation,

a cutting blade mounted in said body and having a sharp cutting edge disposed to extend downwardly between said surfaces adjacent said guide, and slightly beneath the undersurface of said guide to sever the carpet during said cutting operation,

an integral hand grip formed on the upper side of said body for manipulating the cutter to effect cutting,

each of said coplanar support surfaces being substantially wider than said guide and said blade, respectively, thereby to overlie the upper surfaces of said adjacent rows of pile on opposite sides of the line along which the carpet is cut, and thereby to support the cutter against tilting movement in a vertical plane during the cutting operation, and

means mounting said guide in said body for limited vertical adjustment relative to said coplanar surfaces.

2. A pile carpet cutter as defined in claim 1, wherein said mounting means comprises a pair of spaced pins fastened at their lower ends to said guide adjacent opposite ends thereof, respec- 6 tively, and projecting at their upper ends through a pair of spaced openings formed in said body adjacent opposite ends thereof, respectively, and

an adjusting nut threaded on the upper end of each of said pins and rotatable manually to shift the associated pin and corresponding end of said guide vertically relative to said body.

3. A pile `carpet cutter as defined in claim 1, wherein said mounting means includes resilient means interposed 'between said guide and said body and operative to urge said guide resiliently downwardly relative to said coplanar surfaces.

4. A pile carpet cutter comprising a body having on its underside a pair of spaced, elongate, coplanar support surfaces,

a narrow guide projecting below the common plane containing said support surfaces, and extending longitudinally between said surfaces to pass between a pair of adjacent rows of pile in a carpet during a cutting operation,

a cutting blade mounted in said body and having a sharp cutting edge disposed to extend downwardly between said surfaces adjacent said guide, and slightly beneath the undersurface of said guide to sever the carpet during said cutting operation,

an integral hand grip formed on the upper side of said body for manipulating the cutter to effect cutting, v

each of said coplanar support surfaces being substantially wider than said guide and said blade, respectively, thereby to overlie the upper surfaces of said adjacent rows of pile on opposite sides of the line along which the carpet is cut, and thereby to support the cutter against tilting movement in a vertical plane during the cutting operation, and

said body having on its underside a second pair of spaced, elongate, coplanar support surfaces spaced from the first-named pair of surfaces, and coplanar therewith,

a second, narrow guide projecting below said common plane between said second pair of surfaces, and parallel to the first-named guide, and

a second cutting blade mounted in said body and having a sharp cutting edge disposed to extend downwardly between said second pair of surfaces adjacent said second guide, and slightly beneath the undersurface of said second guide.

5. A pile carpet cutter comprising a body having a slot in the underside thereof,

an adjusting block mounted in a first recess in said body for linear reciprocation transverse to the underside of said body,

a cutting blade secured adjacent one end to said block for adjustment thereby, and having on its opposite end a sharp cutting edge that extends into said slot,

an integral hand grip formed on the upper side of said body for manipulating the cutter during a cutting operation,

a member connected to said block and rotatable manually to effect the shifting of said block and said blade adjustably to position said cutting edge below said underside of said body, thereby to sever the backing of a carpet during a cutting operation, and

a guide mounted in said slot and having an elongate,

straight lower edge that projects beneath the underside of said body,

said guide having intermediate its ends a laterally offset portion which registers with a further recess formed in said body at one side of said slot, and

said opposite end of said blade registering laterally with said offset portion of said guide, and being disposed in aligned, coplanar relation with the remaining portion of said guide.

6. A pile carpet cutter as defined in claim 5, wherein said body has an elongate plane surface on the underside thereof,

' said slot is disposed substantially medially of opposite sides of said plane surface, and 'said plane surface is substantially wider than said slot, and said guide, whereby substantial portions of said plane surface extend laterally from opposite sides, respectively, of said guide and said cutting edge to Vovellie adjacent rows vof pile at opposite sides, respectively, said guide during a cutting operation.

l f7. A pile carpet cutter as defined in claim 5, including a pair of pins mounted in said body adjacent opposite ends thereof for limited vertical adjustment in said body, and projecting at their lower ends into said slot, and

. means fastening said guide to the lower ends of said pins foradjustment thereby vertically in said slot. 8. A pile carpet cutter comprising I a body having a slot in the underside thereof,

an adjusting block mounted in a rst recess in said body for linear reciprocation transverse to the underside of said body,

l a cutting blade secured adjacent one end to said block for adjustment thereby, and having on its opposite end a sharp cutting edge that extends into said slot,

an' integral hand grip formed on the upper side of said body for manipulating the cutter during a cutting operation, Y

a member connected to said block and rotatable manually to effect the shifting of said block and said blade adjustably to position said cutting edge below 8 said underside of said body, thereby to sever the backing of a carpet during a cutting operation,

` a second adjusting block mounted in a second recessV in said body for reciprocation parallel'to the first-y named block,

a second cutting blade secured adjacent one end to said.` second block for adjustment thereby, and having `on'l its opposite end a sharp cutting edge that projects beneath said body,

a second member connected to said second block and' rotatable manually to adjust the cutting edge of said, second blade relative to the bottom of said body, andy a pair of guides mounted in said body and having spaced, parallel coplanar lower edges projecting beneath said body in juxtaposition with the cutting) edges of said blades.

References Cited ROBERT C. 'R1ORDON, Primary Examiner I. C. PETERS, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. XR. 

